Participation in an Adapted Version of MBCT in Psychiatric Care

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) groups are challenged by high attrition particularly in early sessions. This leads
to disturbances in the composition of the groups and potential dissatisfaction. In order to support patients in their decision
about participation and to accommodate the program to psychiatric patients, an adapted version of MBCT was developed with
nine instead of 8 weekly units, reduced duration of some exercises, and patients invited to make an active decision about
continuing with the program or leaving the group after an introductory phase of the first three sessions. 120 participants
joined the program, 35 % decided to leave the program before the advanced stage started, and 50.8 % completed it. In a multiple
logistic regression model, neither the degree of depression and mindfulness at onset nor sociodemographic variables could
predict if participants would complete the program. The only significant predictor was the number of sessions attended in
the introductory phase. In bivariate analyses, having participated in group therapies earlier strongly predicted if a person
would complete sessions 1 to 3. The therapist’s assessment of the patient’s motivation and her/his predictions if the patient
would leave the group preterm and if the patient would finalize the program regularly were also related to attrition. The
modified version of MBCT has proved to be feasible and useful to stabilize the participants’ presence in the later sessions.
Particular attention should be paid to patients who miss sessions in the introductory phase and for which the therapist recognizes
low motivation or risk of dropping out.